The Formula: Quality Points ÷ Credits
GPA = the sum of (credits × grade points) for every course, divided by total credits. Each letter grade maps to points on the standard 4.0 scale — A = 4.0, B = 3.0, and so on, with pluses and minuses worth 0.3 steps. A course's weight in your GPA is exactly its credit count: a 4-credit B (12 quality points) outweighs a 2-credit A (8 points).
The calculator's Cumulative section answers the classic end-of-term question: enter your prior GPA and credits, and it blends this semester in — (prior GPA × prior credits + this term's quality points) ÷ total credits.
Weighted vs. Unweighted GPA
Unweighted GPA caps at 4.0 and treats an A in any course alike. Weighted GPA adds a bonus for harder courses — typically +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP, IB, or dual-enrollment — which is why competitive transcripts show GPAs above 4.0. Colleges almost always recompute or unweight GPAs their own way, so the weighted number matters more for class rank and honors designations than for admissions math itself.
High schools disagree on the details: some cap weighted GPA at 5.0 (as this calculator does), some don't cap, some use 0.5 steps everywhere, and a few don't weight at all. Match the Level column to your school's system — the Regular setting reproduces an unweighted scale exactly.
The Math of Raising a GPA
The cruel arithmetic of GPAs: the higher yours is, the more credits it takes to move it. Raising a 2.0 to 2.5 in one 15-credit semester needs a 3.5 term GPA — hard but doable. Raising a 3.7 to a 3.8 over 15 credits needs a 4.2 term GPA, which may be mathematically impossible without weighted courses.
The lever most students underrate: credit asymmetry. Because credits weight the average, an A in a 4-credit course pulls harder than a B drags in a 2-credit one. When picking where to invest effort, favor your heaviest courses — the calculator shows this live if you experiment with rows.
Common Questions
How is GPA calculated?
GPA = total quality points ÷ total credits, where each course contributes credits × grade points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, with +/- steps of 0.3). A 4-credit B+ (3.3 × 4 = 13.2 points) counts twice as heavily as a 2-credit B+ (6.6 points). The calculator above applies this exactly, and blends in prior semesters if you enter them.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA uses the raw 4.0 scale for everyone and caps at 4.0. Weighted GPA adds a bonus for harder courses — typically +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP, IB, or dual enrollment — so a weighted A in an AP course can be worth 5.0. Colleges usually recalculate GPA their own way, so weighted numbers matter most for class rank, honors status, and scholarship thresholds.
How many grade points is each letter worth?
On the standard scale: A = 4.0, A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B− = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C− = 1.7, D+ = 1.3, D = 1.0, F = 0. Some schools skip A− or use 0.5 steps; the grade dropdown in the calculator shows exactly what each letter is worth in the math.
How much can one semester raise my GPA?
It depends entirely on how many credits you've already accumulated. New cumulative GPA = (prior GPA × prior credits + this term's quality points) ÷ total credits. Early semesters move GPA fast; by junior year with 60+ credits, even a 4.0 term moves a 3.2 by about a tenth of a point. Enter your real numbers in the Cumulative section to see your exact case.
Related Calculators
- Grade Calculator — Single course: test scores to letter grade
- Average Calculator — Plain (unweighted) averages
- Percentage Calculator — The percent side of grading